Fantapper Hopes To Change Fan Media Consumption

Athletes have never been able to monetize their Web sites. Content just hasn't been steady enough for those sites to drive regular page views and therefore sell ads.

But a new venture by Brand Affinity Technologies (BAT), which has a network that allows companies to pick athlete spokespeople in a matter of days, might change the content revenue stream for athletes.

It's called Fantapper. Once fans who download the free program click on a certain athlete's name, FanTapper's in-box technology pulls everything on that star in real time from what the buzz is on Twitter, to Google News, to the latest YouTube clips.

The appeal is that fans don't have to waste time clicking around to all the sites since it stays on one page within the Fantapper app. BAT CEO Ryan Steelberg says that Fantapper dramatically increases the amount of engagement time.

So what's in it for the athlete? One, they get a piece of the ad revenue that runs within Fantapper. That could be a static "click here" type of ad or an interactive spot. Athletes also get to try to control their content more.

"I can post my own messages and photos and videos and provide my fans with an easier way to get authentic content from me," said New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who is a BAT partner. "It's all in one place."